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Is this true? Regarding wire gauges

10K views 32 replies 15 participants last post by  Grinder 
#1 · (Edited)
I heard a shop owner saying you should use the same gauge on component installs for amp-crossover as crossover-speaker, I’ve always run 14 gauge from the amp to crossover and then 16 gauge for the crossover to speaker connection since it’s shorter, is this bad? This seems way too picky to me
 
#4 ·
I heard a shop owner saying you should use the same gauge on component installs for amp-crossover as crossover-speaker, I’ve always run 14 gauge from the amp to crossover and then 16 gauge for the crossover to speaker connection since it’s shorter, is this bad? This seems way too picky to me
Oh, my... While I am certainly no expert, I can fairly confidently state that this is utter hogwash (IMHO, lol).
 
#10 ·
When i run subwoofer wire from amp to woofer, it has to be in one piece. I hate using any type of binding post. But when i happen to use a binding post the 2 runs of speaker wire must be cut from the same piece, and continue to go in the same direction they came off the roll. No logical reason for either, but thats just me.
 
#9 ·
Really, why use 14 vs say 18? The size should be chosen based on length and power being used. Longer runs with more power need larger gauge wire and shorter runs with less power need less. So based on the limited information, I have no idea what you should do. If your crossover is close to your amp in the back, you might be able to actually use a smaller wire and you actually need larger wire to get to your speakers because they’re way up in the front. But in general I would think 16 gauge or even 18 gauge would be just fine for most installs.

WIRE
 
#15 ·
Really, why use 14 vs say 18?
...
WIRE
Damping factor.
The rests is all magic and even the damping factor is getting towards magic.

I am using Magami wire which is 13 or 14 ga. and probably overkill... but damping factor would be the only non BS explanation of why.
 
#14 ·
I can't even pretend to know the perspective that the shop owner was coming from so without knowing his details, it's hard to say he hasn't run into a situation where that wasn't completely false. The bottom line is that the relevance of your wire gauge is specific to it's ability to carry adequately the amperage over the specified distance without noticeable loss at max volume. With that said, these distances are short enough that loss is barely measurable, if at all. Current loss formulas are plentiful on the net but you'll find it's irrelevant to bother with once you run a few calculations.

14 all the way, meh just fine.
16 all the way, meh just fine.
14 in/16 out, meh just fine.
18 all the way, meh just maybe for OEM. lol...
 
#17 ·
no, the reason you use larger gauge is because over a certain length you want the resistance to remain low for how much current you are passing across it.

example, you can run ALOT more current through a 1" section of 14 ga wire than you can a 50ft section.
 
#20 ·
So you’re into overkill? Here, here! All of my XLR cables for my microphone and preamp are Mogami Gold and I’ve used their stuff for DIY RCAs. Good stuff. And I usually go much larger than necessary and do like the OP to strip a little wire if needed to get it to fit.
 
#21 ·
So, it's "do as I say, not as I do," huh? :D

Really, why use 14 vs say 18? The size should be chosen based on length and power being used. Longer runs with more power need larger gauge wire and shorter runs with less power need less. So based on the limited information, I have no idea what you should do. If your crossover is close to your amp in the back, you might be able to actually use a smaller wire and you actually need larger wire to get to your speakers because they’re way up in the front. But in general I would think 16 gauge or even 18 gauge would be just fine for most installs.
I'm with you and Holmz in the overkill department.
 
#24 ·
I think one thing to keep in mind as well. If 14 or 16 gauge is overkill. Overkill never hurt anything. Not big enough can cause anything from poor performance to fire

Sent from my LG-LS998 using Tapatalk
 
#26 ·
So, I have a new build coming up and don't really want to fight the door boots for midbass in doors. I'll have 190rms on tap from a bridged rd900/5 but know I probably won't even use half that real world because my bridged st-4x sq (roughly 190ish x2) was pulled WAY back in the processor on the gs690's in the Jeep. And the new build will be a single cab truck so less space to fill. Going off real world experience with signal being pulled back over 10db in the processor and music being dynamic bcae1 says I should be good up to 125rms or so with the factory 18g wire which will have 16g tapping into it behind the headunit. I only have way more power than needed so I can keep distortion to a minimum. Any reason why the factory 18g won't be sufficient knowing the gs690's can be overdriven with far less than what I have available and gain structure set accordingly to pull power back?
 
#27 ·
If one is never clipping then the available power is clearly more than enough, and some clipping is generally seen as OK.

If the processing is pulling back the power by 10dB, then it suggests that the 190w may also becoming effectively scaled back to 19W, which seems about right. That makes me wonder if it sounds any different bridging?

I think that the only easy way to say for sure, is if you have an actual RMS or peak power number to work out whether wire size was truely good.
 
#28 ·
I'll try it both ways with the JL amp bridged and unbridged. I do know that the 80-100rms per channel (depending on where you get your info) on the unbridged Zapco 5ch wasn't as dynamic as the 190ish per speaker the bridged 4ch gave. Could be dynamic peaks, lower distortion at any given volume, or I'm just a victim of phychoacoustics. Either way more power equaled more dynamics.
 
#29 ·
The thing that gets me is that people use obscenely thick speaker wire and then in the crossover, the components, are nowhere near the gauge. To build a passive crossover that matches the oversized speaker cable would get bulky in a hurry and be more expensive than a good midrange and tweeter combined. Se we feed 10 gauge wire to an 18 gauge or higher low pass inductor, brilliant! The good news is that it will not harm anything other than added weight and bulk.

I'm a fan of electronic crossovers and bi or tri amping. The subs are what really matter where gauge is concerned. Most people already know that the low frequencies use the majority of the power in any system.
 
#30 ·
You can pass A LOT more current through a short piece of wire than you can a long piece of the same gauge. Just look at your fuses that you pass 100+ amps through in theory. What cracks me up are people who gripe about not being able connect 12g wire to their tweeters or small midranges. If you MUST run gigantic wire you won't hurt anything by splicing in a 16 or 18g jumper to connect to the speaker itself as long as your connections are solid. I even use 16g to sub(s) because the run is so short and never run more than 500-600rms to the sub. Have for years and the only wire I've had a problem with was cheap Walmart cca back in my basshead days.
 
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